The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-08-08
SLEEPING WONDERS.
Feats Accomplished by Some Men
While in the Arms of Morpheus.


From the London Telegraph.
Sleep in most individuals lasts for the
space of eight hours Exceptions to this
statement are numerous; whether those arise
| from duty or laziness we shall not venture
to examine Sir f. Codrington, the famous
| naval officer, when a midshipman, could
watch on deck for nineteen hours; this left
only five for sleep, which in his case was
most profound-so profound that no noise
was sufficiently strong to waken him; yet
ii the word "Signalln was whispered in
his eur he awoke and was on deck I'M
stantly.
Reporters of the House of Commons re-
quire great exertions to keep themselves
from sleeping. a few years ago n distin-
guished member of "the gentlemen in the
gallery" took down a speech while he was
| sleeping. His statement rests on his oath.
Calvin tells of friend of his reading aloud
to him while asleep The organ of vision
was alone active.
Coleridge, the dreaming philosopher, COM
posed 'Cubla Khan" (one of hispoems) while
fast asleep. Next morning he was sure there
had been an acquisition to his literature, but
was too negligent to write the stanZas. A
few days afterward he attempted to recall
the verses, but they had for the most part
fed, and the poem as it now stands Is but a
fragment
Every one knows that extreme fatigue in
duces sleep, and this in spite of surrounding
relations. which under ordinary circum-
stances would hinder any one from resting.
Previous to the shortening of the hours of
work, factory children frequently fell asleep
while working at the machines, although
well aware that they would incur severe
punishment by doing so. The North Ameri-
can Indian, at the stake of torture, has been
of agony, and will slumber until the fire is
applied to awaken him.
1t is on record that during the heat of the
battle of the Nile some of the over fatigued
boys fell asleep upon the deck, and during
the attack upon Rangoon, in the Burmese
war, the captain of one of the steam frig-
ates most actively engaged, worn out by
| the excess of continued mental tension, fell
! asleep and remained perfectly unconscious
for two hours within yard of his largest
guns, which were being worked energetic
ally the whole period.
Habit and time, place and circumstances,
predispose us all to sleep. The celebrated
pedestrian, Capt Barclay, when accom-
plishng his extraordinary feat of walking
ZOO miles in as many successive hours,
obtained at last such mastery over him
self that he fell asleep the instant he lay
down The doctors wife never hears the
door-bell during the night, although the
noise is sufficient to rouse the wearied hus-
band; but should child in the nursery cry,
then the mother, oblivious to all other
sounds, hears at once the infants voice.
1t is related that the Able Faria, who ac-
quired notoriety through his power of in
ducing somnambulism, was accustomed
merely to place his patient in an armchair,
after telling him to shut his eyes and col
lect himself, and pronounce in a strong
voice, "dormez," which was usually success
full.
There seems to be no limit to the wonders
displayed by man in sleeping. Condorcet,
the mathematician, solved one of his most
difficult problems while asleep-a problem,
too, which puzzled him during his waking
hours A professor of theology in the
University of Basic once wrote a sermon
while asleep he found il on his desk next
morning. The preceding night he could not
grapple with the subject as he desired, but
the performance of his sleeping hours was
quite satisfactory TO him.
Jenny Lind was one of the most cele-
brated singers of her time. No one could
rival her powers except factory girl, who
sang sometimes better than the famous Jent
n.y. The girl could not attempt any Difficult
piece when awake, but when sleeping she
sang so correctly, so like the renowned
artist, that it was difficult TO distinguish be-
tween their voices On one occasion Mile
Lind heard the girl, and even tested the &C
curacy of her powers by giving her long
and elaborate chromatic exercise. This the
sleeping girl performed, much to the won
der OF the famous Swedish singer.